Posts made in August, 2014

Sunday Quote offers cookies and fiction, and maybe fictional cookies

Posted by on Aug 31, 2014 in Blog, Quote | Comments Off on Sunday Quote offers cookies and fiction, and maybe fictional cookies

“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.”

~Barbara Kingsolver

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Bready or Not: Maple Ginger Fudge

Posted by on Aug 27, 2014 in Blog, Bready or Not, clockwork dagger, fudge, maple, no-bake dessert | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Maple Ginger Fudge

I would like to present to you the best fudge in the history of the world.

Maple Ginger Fudge

Maple ginger fudge. Sweetness with just the slightest zing.

The origin of the recipe brings sweet connotations for me, too. One of my very favorite authors, C. E. Murphy, posted about this recipe last Christmas. We started a conversation about it.

Maple ginger fudge.

This somehow resulted in her reading The Clockwork Dagger, loving it, and providing a blurb.

BEST. FUDGE. EVER.

That blurb:

“The Clockwork Dagger had me at hello and kept me with unexpected twists, intriguing magic and splendid betrayals. At the satisfying conclusion, my immediate impulse was to inquire in tones of gentle inquiry, when do I get to read the sequel!?!?” ~C. E. Murphy

C. E. Murphy’s Walker Papers series is my very favorite set of urban fantasy books. They were the first series I got into, and most importantly, they taught me how to write. I found them during that time when I realized my writing was wretched. I read through Urban Shaman on a technical level so I could figure out how to write first person and just plain why the books worked.

Maple ginger fudge.

To have her love my book… it makes me get teary-eyed.

Make some of this fudge. Maybe some wonderful things will happen in your life, too.

Maple ginger fudge.

Recipe modified from a modified version by C.E. Murphy, who originally found the recipe on Candy.About.Com. In case you didn’t notice, there was some modifying going on.

Bready or Not: Maple Ginger Fudge

A classic stove-top fudge recipe.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: fudge, maple
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

  • 3 cups white sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk small can
  • 10 oz white chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons maple flavor
  • 7 oz marshmallow cream
  • 4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup candied ginger finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Prepare a pan: 9x9 if you want it thick, or 13x9 if you want it thin. Line pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick cooking spray. Measure out of the other ingredients so they are staged and ready to go.
  • In a larger saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and evaporated milk. Cook at medium-high heat and stir until the butter and sugar melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture boils.
  • Keep the candy at a rolling boil, stirring constantly, for five minutes. (If you have a candy thermometer and want to use it, you will be cooking the candy to soft-ball stage, 240 degrees.)
  • After five minutes, take the pot off the burner and immediately add the white chocolate chips. Stir until they are melted and smooth. Work fast so that everything stays hot.
  • Quickly add the marshmallow cream, maple flavor, vanilla, ground ginger, salt, pecans, and chopped candied ginger, and stir. Once the marshmallow cream has melted and all of the ingredients are incorporated, pour the fudge into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top; an offset spatula works well.
  • Allow the fudge to set at room temperature for several hours. Once set, lift it out of the pan using the foil as handles. Use a large, sharp knife to cut the fudge into small one-inch pieces.

OM NOM NOM.

    Maple ginger fudge.

    ClockworkDagger_PB_cover500x332

    Trade Paperback & eBook

    Paperback ISBN: 978-0-06-231384-3

    ebook ASIN (Amazon): B00HLIYZ5U

    ebook ISBN (Nook): 978-0-06-231385-0

    Release: September 16, 2014

    Amazon Barnes & Noble Powell’s Books-A-Million Poisoned Pen Changing Hands

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    Book Release Event

    Posted by on Aug 26, 2014 in Blog, clockwork dagger, public speaking | Comments Off on Book Release Event

    Porom with booksI’m ecstatic to announce my first signing event will be on Friday September 19th at 7pm at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona. My infamous baked goods will be served, I’ll read an excerpt from The Clockwork Dagger, and I’ll sign stuff. Changing Hands is a great local independent bookstore chain. If you click on that link above, you can also order signed books directly through them!

    I have two other appearances planned in the next few months, too:

    October 10th and 11th at MPIBA Fall Discovery Show in Denver, Colorado. This is an event for independent booksellers.

    November 6th through 9th at World Fantasy in Washington, D.C. My first time in D.C.! I’m excited to do the con through the weekend and cap it off with touristy meandering.

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    Tor Sweepstakes and Lifestyle Magazine

    Posted by on Aug 25, 2014 in Blog, clockwork crown, public speaking | Comments Off on Tor Sweepstakes and Lifestyle Magazine

    I know some of you have been waiting for a giveaway of some sort. Here’s your chance! Over on the Tor.com blog, you can comment to win one of three copies of The Clockwork Dagger! (Limited to USA and Canadian addresses only, unfortunately.) This only runs through August 29th, so go comment! And please, spread the word.

    Clockwork Dagger

    Also, I’m thrilled that Lifestyle Magazine back home has published an article about me.

    Lifestyle

    The paper magazine is distributed around the Visalia, California area. My parents are already plotting the 20 minute drive to get their own own copy plus a few more, for bragging purposes. You can also view the full magazine online; my article is page 54-56.

    Lifestyle 2

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    Sunday Quote goes boom

    Posted by on Aug 24, 2014 in Blog, Quote | Comments Off on Sunday Quote goes boom

    “I use my book like dynamite. I place it where I want the explosion to take place, and then I blast my way through with it!”

    ~Anais Nin

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